1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a hydraulic clutch with an impeller wheel, a turbine wheel with a turbine wheel shell, a torsional vibration damper, and a lockup clutch.
2. Description of the Related Art
DE 43 33 562 A1 discloses a hydraulic clutch of the type mentioned above, wherein the turbine wheel is drivable by the impeller wheel, and the turbine wheel shell is mounted so as to be rotatable with respect to a turbine wheel hub. The torsional vibration damper is arranged on the turbine wheel hub so as to be fixed with respect to rotation relative to it for driving the turbine wheel hub. A connection element is arranged at the turbine wheel shell and, along with the latter, acts on the torsional vibration damper. The connection element is in an operative connection with the lockup clutch, and the lockup clutch has at least one clutch disk arranged at a disk carrier.
The hydraulic clutch of the prior art already operates quite satisfactorily, but is still capable of improvement. In particular, it requires a relatively large volume.
It is the object of the present invention to design a hydraulic clutch of the type mentioned above which can be realized in a more compact manner while carrying out its function equally well or better.
This object is met in that the turbine wheel shell receives the connection element in a connection area which is arranged farther inside radially than a turbine wheel shell area in which the turbine wheel shell has its farthest axial extension and the disk carrier passes into a holding clamp which is connected to the turbine wheel shell in a holding area which differs from the turbine wheel shell area.
Alternatively, the holding area can be arranged farther radially outside or farther radially inside than the turbine wheel shell area.
The holding clamp and/or the connection element are/is preferably welded to the turbine wheel shell. When welding the holding clamp on the radial inner side, it is even possible to weld the connection element and the holding clamp to the turbine wheel shell along a common weld.
When the torsional vibration damper is arranged on the radial inner side, the hydraulic clutch is particularly compact.
When the torsional vibration damper has at least two spring assemblies which are nested concentrically one inside the other, a large spring constant of the torsional vibration damper can be realized in spite of the compact construction.
The connection element can engage directly in the torsional vibration damper. Alternatively, the connection element can act on an engagement element which engages in the torsional vibration damper. In this case, the connection element is interlocked with the engagement element, for example.
When the engagement element has a bend, the hydraulic clutch can be implemented in a more compact manner.
When the holding clamp has a radial bend, the construction volume of the hydraulic clutch can be reduced even more while retaining the same efficiency.
Especially high torques can be transmitted by the lockup clutch when the lockup clutch has a plurality of clutch disks arranged axially one behind the other.
A rolling bearing is preferably arranged between the turbine wheel hub and a drive-side housing element. In particular, the rolling bearing can be constructed as a grooved ball bearing.
Also, a rolling bearing is preferably arranged between the turbine wheel shell and a stator wheel hub. When this rolling bearing is constructed as a needle bearing, it requires a particularly small installation space, especially axial installation space.
When the bearing support has an axial and/or radial sliding bearing, it can be implemented in a particularly economical and space-saving manner.
When the rolling bearing arranged between the turbine wheel shell and stator wheel hub is arranged at the height of the axial sliding bearing, no shear moment or tilting moment is exerted on the turbine wheel shell by these two bearings.
When the turbine wheel shell and the turbine wheel hub have a small distance from one another in the area of the turbine wheel hub in a first portion and a large distance from one another in a second portion and the axial sliding bearing is arranged in the second portion, the hydraulic clutch has an even smaller axial extension. The second portion is preferably arranged farther inside radially than the first portion.
When the turbine wheel shell in the area of the radial sliding bearing extends farther inward radially than the turbine wheel hub, the hydraulic clutch can be constructed in a more compact manner and operates particularly reliably.
Compactness can be increased even more when the turbine wheel shell in the area of the radial sliding bearing has a curve directed away from the radial sliding bearing.
In a particularly advantageous arrangement of the two sliding bearings relative to one another, the axial sliding bearing is radially and/or axially offset relative to the radial sliding bearing. The axial sliding bearing preferably extends farther inward radially in relation to the radial sliding bearing. Further advantages and details are given in the following description of an embodiment example in connection with the drawings.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of the disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages, and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the drawing and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.